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taint
1[ teynt ]
/ teÉȘnt /
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noun
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
to become tainted; spoil.
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Origin of taint
1First recorded in 1325â75; conflation of Middle English taynt, shortened variant of attaint âstruck, attainted,â past participle of attainten âto convictâ (see attaint), late Middle English taynt âhue, tintâ (see tint), from Anglo-French teint or directly from Latin tinctus, equivalent to ting(ere) âto dye, colorâ (see tinge) + -tus suffix of verb action); and teinte, from Late Latin tincta âinked stroke,â noun use of feminine of past participle of tingere
OTHER WORDS FROM taint
un·taint·ing, adjectiveWords nearby taint
Other definitions for taint (2 of 2)
taint2
or t'aint
noun Slang: Vulgar.
the area between the testicles or vulva and the anus; the perineum.
Origin of taint
2First recorded in 1955â60; casual pronunciation of it ainât (the one or the other), i.e., it is the area in between
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use taint in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for taint
taint
/ (teÉȘnt) /
verb
to affect or be affected by pollution or contaminationoil has tainted the water
to tarnish (someone's reputation, etc)
noun
a defect or flawa taint on someone's reputation
a trace of contamination or infection
Derived forms of taint
taintless, adjectiveWord Origin for taint
C14: (influenced by attaint infected, from attain) from Old French teindre to dye, from Latin tingere to dye
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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